Albany man admits he killed Tonette Thomas

Victim was shielding sister during violent 2012 attack

Bryan Fitzgeral, Times Union

By Bryan Fitzgerald

Updated 9:14 pm, Monday, February 3, 2014

Michael Anderson, 29, on Monday pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and assault for the fatal Nov. 26, 2012 attack that killed Tonette Thomas and injured her sister and aunt. (Albany County District Attorney's office)

Michael Anderson, 29, on Monday pleaded guilty to second-degree...

Murder victim Tonette Thomas in an undated photo received from a family member Nov 28, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) ORG XMIT: MER2014020312365940

Stabbing victim Shaquasia Thomas, left and murder victim Tonette Thomas, right in an undated photo received from a family member Nov 28, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) ORG XMIT: MER2014020312395746

Stabbing victim Shaquasia Thomas, left and murder victim Tonette...

Esther Degannes, left with Nierra Carter decorate a memorial to their friend and family member Tonette Thomas next to 157 Myrtle Street in Albany, N.Y. Nov. 28, 2012. Tonette Thomas was murdered here on Monday afternoon. Degannes said Tonette Williams was her best friend and Carter is Thomas' cousin. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) ORG XMIT: MER2014020312411555

Esther Degannes, left with Nierra Carter decorate a memorial to...

A makeshift memorial was set up for murder victim Tonette Thomas and her two sisters who remain hospitalized from stab wounds as a lone Albany Police cruiser sits on the street in front of 157 Myrtle Avenue in Albany, N.Y. Nov 28, 2012, the scene of a murder. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) ORG XMIT: MER2014020312402754

Michael Anderson, a city man who stabbed and killed 20-year-old Tonette Thomas in 2012 as she tried to shield her sister from Anderson's knife, pleaded guilty to murder Monday morning.

Anderson, 29, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and assault for the Nov. 26, 2012, attack that killed Thomas and injured her sister and aunt.

The plea came on the same day Anderson's murder trial was set to begin. Anderson will be sentenced March 3 to 45 years to life in prison.

"This plea brings to a conclusion one of the most tragic events in our community," Albany County District Attorney David Soares said in a statement. "Mr. Anderson will pay for his crimes for the rest of his life."

Anderson threatened all three women in the days before the killing. The indictment charging Anderson said he "repeatedly threatening members of (Shaquasia Thomas') immediate family which caused her to fear physical injury to members of her immediate family."

After Anderson was arrested for the killing, he wrote a letter to Thomas' family apologizing, saying he "lost my mind" and "Ya'll have all right to hate me and want me dead."

Anderson was previously charged with choking Shaquasia Thomas, menacing another ex-girlfriend with a knife and choking that ex's friend.

Family members said Tonette Thomas was protecting her sister when she was stabbed. Thomas was found dead in a passageway on the side of the house near Lincoln Park.

Thomas graduated from Albany High School in 2011 and was a friend of Tyler Rhodes, who was stabbed and killed in Hoffman Park in April 2011. Relatives said Rhodes' death prompted Thomas to become a member of Stop the Violence youth group.